Over 300kg of synthetic drugs smuggled out of India by Bhola drug racket

The preliminary questioning of Jagdish Bhola, kingpin of an international synthetic drug racket, has unveiled a sophisticated network of supply of synthetic drugs to markets in Europe, Canada and the UK.

The preliminary questioning of Jagdish Bhola, kingpin of an international synthetic drug racket, has unveiled a sophisticated network of supply of synthetic drugs to markets in Europe, Canada and the UK.

The drug racket smuggled over 300 kilograms of synthetic drugs like ICE (M-amphetamine) and other high-quality drugs like heroin out of India.

SSP Hardial Singh Mann, who is leading a special investigation team (SIT) formed to interrogate Bhola, who was arrested from near Delhi on Monday, on Tuesday said that besides using other modus operandi, sports clubs based in Canada and Europe were used for distribution of contraband consignments.

"The network operated in a sophisticated manner using different persons for packing and packaging, transportation, receiving and distributing the consignments of contraband," said the SSP.

According to the preliminary interrogation, the drugs were transported to foreign countries primarily by using air cargo and also through human couriers. Innovative techniques like hiding the contraband in the heels of footwear, books, false cavities in containers, ladies suits, condiment and food product boxes, and even picture frames of religious personalities were used.

Foreign nationals were involved in the preparation of synthetic drugs from precursor chemicals and were especially sent to India by the foreign recipients for ensuring quality control of the manufactured synthetic drugs, said the SSP.

Important clues for the identification of NRIs and foreign nationals involved in the drug trade have been received and are being shared with appropriate agencies for a legal follow-up regarding their criminal liability, the SSP said, naming four NRIs from Canada -- Sarabjit Singh, Nirankara Singh Dhillon, Harbans Sidhu and Dara Singh Mathoda.

The information about the foreign recipients, particularly in Canada, was earlier shared and jointly developed with the Canadian authorities. The information was shared with the police liaison officer in the Canadian High Commission, New Delhi, by the Punjab Police in a high-level meeting presided over by Hardeep Singh Dhillon, additional director general of police, intelligence, Punjab, and further developed by the Punjab Police.

Particulars of recipients in the UK and the Netherlands have been developed, details of which will be mentioned subsequently, after the requisite follow-up action with the authorities concerned in India and abroad has been taken.

Police team rewarded

Meanwhile, the Punjab director general of police has granted the director general's commendation disc to Simratpal Singh Dhindsa, AIG, Counter-Intelligence (Operations); Bhupinder Singh Khatra, SP, Rajpura; and Tejinderjit Singh Virk, DSP, Counter Intelligence; in recognition of the good work done by these officers in developing the available operational leads and conducting the tracking and trapping of the drug racketeers. Besides, the DGP has also granted local rank promotions to five police officials.